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POPE BENEDICT XVI’s closest confidant Georg Gaenswein will continue to be the soon-to-be former pope’s secretary while also overseeing the new pope’s household, the Vatican has said.
“He will remain prefect of the papal household and will also be secretary to Benedict,” Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said at a press briefing.
“He has informed us he will take up residence with Benedict” in a monastery within the Vatican walls that is currently being renovated, Lombardi said.
Monsignor Gaenswein will therefore hold a dual role as part of an unprecedented situation in the history of the Catholic Church in which a pope and his predecessor will live within a stone’s throw of each other.
The Vatican has hinted that Benedict could continue to have a behind-the-scenes spiritual role as guide for his successor. The 85-year-old pope himself has said he will live “hidden from the world”.
Lombardi said Benedict’s four housekeepers – pious lay women known as “Memores Domini” – would also continue to work for the ex-pope in his new residence, a picturesque spot in Vatican City surrounded by flower beds.
Benedict promoted Gaenswein to prefect of the papal household in December – a move interpreted now as a key part of his plans to resign.
Background
Like the pope, Gaenswein is German and has an academic background, with a doctorate in canon law. The son of a blacksmith, he was ordained in 1984 and rose through the ranks to become Joseph Ratzinger’s secretary in 2003.
When Ratzinger was elected to the papacy in 2005, he kept the trusted Gaenswein by his side, propelling him into the limelight, much to the delight of the international media, instantly smitten by the pope’s dashing assistant.
A refreshing change from the elderly dignitaries populating the often staid world of the Vatican, the 56-year-old, who can be seen constantly at the pope’s side, has a pilot’s licence, skis in his spare time and is a Pink Floyd fan.
Gaenswein also played a pivotal role in the investigation that identified the pope’s butler, Paolo Gabriele, as the source of a series of damaging leaks of confidential papal documents that rocked the Vatican last year.
Gaenswein testified at Gabriele’s trial, an unprecedented court case in modern Church history where it emerged that he had suspicions on the butler’s guilt all along in a scandal that has come to be known as “Vatileaks”.
The scandal has been seen by many observers as one of many factors that helped Benedict come to the conclusion that he should step down.
The pope was said to be personally shaken by the betrayal of his butler.
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Sounds like the makings of a sitcom “That’s My Pope!”
When pope was in Birmingham he was presented with a copy of John Henry Newman’s Apologia pro Vita Sua. A TV series based on this book would really help people understand the Relationship between Catholicism and the other faiths and at least partly explain the mindset of Anti Catholics in Britain and Ireland.
Or a talent show…Pope Idol
Hi Tom is this the real reason the pope resigned http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/17980
An ugly message will over-ride even the prettiest of faces . The Pope has uttered some of the most polarising words throughout his tenure . As his right hand man he is complicit in that . I hope Ratz reflects on how his opinions can hurt in his last days months or years and realiize that the religion he professes and the prophets he worships had a lot to say about humanity .
So isn’t this when the camerlengo (mad guy from Angels and Demons) comes into the picture, once the Papal seat is vacated? Maybe there is a mad camerlengo who has already engineered this whole thing to date!!!
Hopefully he will write more.
Monsignor has faith that the menage-a-trois will work…
Will the retired Pope still be referred to as His Holiness ?
Closest confidant and boyfriend – if he is anything like the rest of them.
Don’t be a t-w-a-t
I was living in Rome when the pope was elected. There were rumours then about the ‘relationship’ between the two of them as well
No he will revert to being a Cardinal and will be styled as His Eminence until his death, upon which his papal title will be restored and he will return to being Pope Benedict.
You maybe a lot closer to the truth than you know Paul, if this site created by ex priests supporting priests contemplating leaving the priesthood is anything to go by http://www.leavingthepriesthood.com/
The Pope using his remaining power to move his men into place. It’s all politics.
But the pope is fugly. He doesn’t deserve a fella.
Pope Benedict resigned to avoid arrest, seizure of church wealth by Easter
The above article appeared on International Tribunal Against Church and State, a couple of days ago. Their website has two other similar articles on the Vatican, in connection with the pope’s resignation. These stories are not appearing on mainstream media here in Ireland.
The above story broke yesterday morning in Rome, concerning the pope’s resignation. There are also two other similar stories, one concerning the Vatican Bank.
Thanks Margaret
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